‘Triaksyon’ to showcase old, new of host Capiz

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, Philippines – Top local and foreign triathletes brace for a spirited battle for top honors when they vie in Triaksyon, Capiz’s first international triathlon, set April 22-23 in various landmarks of the province.

The 1.5km swim, 54km bike and 12km run centerpiece event will specifically pass by the historic and scenic spots of Roxas City, the event being held to promote tourism in the province known as the “Seafood Capital of the Philippines.”

“We would like to bring people here through the event and let them discover through their own eyes what they see as pleasant, beautiful and nice in Capiz,” said Triaksyon chairman Gregorio Atienza.

“That was really part of the route plan. When we established our route for the triathlon, we said, let us bring people through the routes that tell our story.”

Spicing up the event are competitions in the standard, sprint, relay and kiddies categories.

The swim course starts at Baybay Beach where triathletes will take two laps of an inverted triangle route heading to the Mantalinga islet.

The bike route will have the triathletes see centuries-old churches such as the Sta. Monica Church in Pan-ay, built in 1774 and was declared a national cultural treasure that houses Asia’s largest Catholic bell. The Roxas City museum, which was originally a water reservoir built in 1910, and the Capiz bridge, also built in the same year, are likewise included in the route, as well as the Capiz fountain which was built in 1930 and considered as the province’s kilometer zero. After traversing the route with the old, heritage area as backdrop, the triathletes will head to the more modern area of the province called Pueblo de Panay.

The race will end at the Villareal Stadium, the last point of the running course.

“If you will notice, as you swim, bike and run along the route, it is like you are taking a tour of the whole province, of the whole city,” said tournament director Jose Borres.

A 10-km bike participated in by various groups under the Capiz Cyclists Club, a 3-km run with the Capiz athletics team and a 2-km swim headed by Betsy Medalla along with the Capiz Turbosharks and Tricap kickstarted the grand launching at the People’s Park in Baybay Beach of the event yesterday.

Medalla, former national swimmer and the first Filipina and Asian woman to complete the Robben Island channel crossing in Cape Town, South Africa, traces her roots in Capiz as her mother hails from Dumalag.

Interested participants in the race that is expected to draw 300 triathletes may register at www.capiztriaksyon.com.

Also present during the launch were Triathlon Association of the Philippines board member Red Dumuk, Philippine Sports Commission representative Karlo Pates, Triaksyon adviser Darren Evangelista, Capiz Gov. Tony Del Rosario, Capiz provincial tourism and cultural affairs officer Alphonsus Tesoro and Capiz Halaran Chamber of Commerce president Ronald So.